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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on
Drug War Issues
Police Corruption

A small-town Indiana cop gets in trouble for a single pot plant, a Miami cop was enticed into ripping off what he thought were drug dealers, and more. Let's get to it:

n Miami, a Miami police officer was arrested November 16 after he was allegedly caught stealing cash and drugs from suspects during traffic stops. Officer Frenal Cenat, 40, went down in an FBI sting, with agents posing as drug dealers, who Cenat allegedly attempted to extort. In one incident, Cenat pulled over a driver he believed was transporting drugs, and when he found a backpack containing $52,000 in hundred-dollar bills, he gave the driver the option of giving him the backpack or going to jail. Cenat took the money, let the driver leave, then met with the individual (also an undercover agent) who told him about the deal, giving him $13,000 and pocketing the remaining $39,000.  Then he did it again, giving the driver the option of giving him money and drugs or going to jail: Cenat then took the duffle bag containing $80,000 in $100 bills and 7 kilograms of fake cocaine and allowed the driver to leave. When Cenat arrived at the location arranged for the split of the proceeds, he was arrested, and the 7 kilogram-shaped packages and a large quantity of $100 bills were found in his official MPD vehicle," court documents said. He is charged with attempted extortion under color of official right, theft of government funds, and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

In Corydon, Indiana, a Corydon police officer was arrested November 23 and charged for growing a pot plant.  Officer Nathan A. Ranke, 41, was arrested after a search of his home turned up a single plant in the garden. He is charged with possession of marijuana — growing or cultivating marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.

In New York City, a former Rikers Island guard was sentenced November 21 to 29 months in federal prison for smuggling contraband including drugs into the prison in exchange for nearly $10,000 in bribes. Former New York City correction officer Krystle Burrell accepted the bribes from outside partners of an inmate, who would resell the drugs and other contraband to other inmates. Burrell pleaded guilty to bribery charges in September 2022, and even after that and while out on bail awaiting sentencing she conspired with that same inmate, who had been transferred to Brooklyn, to smuggle contraband into that prison. That gave her one more count: smuggling contraband into a federal prison.

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